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Soil Responses to restoration of a tropical pasture in Veracruz, South-Eastern Mexico.

Background

Changes in land use and land cover may affect soil properties and processes. Conversion of forest to pasture is assumed to result in a decrease in soil nutrients. Restoration to healthy grassland or forest may lead to an increase in soil nutrients. This paper reports on a study on soil responses to restoration of a tropical pasture in Veracruz, Mexico.

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Local and Regional Environmental Variation Influences the Growth of Tropical Trees in Selection Trials in the Republic of Panama

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This study evaluates the effect of varying site conditions on the basal area of 21 neotropical and 2 exotic tree species at three different sites in Panama. 

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The Tree Planting and Protecting Culture of Cattle Ranchers and Small-Scale Agriculturalists in Rural Panama: Opportunities for Reforestation and Land Restoration

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This study examines the relationship between farmers and trees in the tropical dry forest in two rural communities of Panama, focusing on the uses and values that small landholders assign to local tree species, both native and exotic.

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Farmer’s Perceptions of Silvopastoral System Promotion in Quindío, Colombia

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Open access copy available

Evaluation of Andean Alder as a Catalyst for the Recovery of Tropical Cloud Forests in Colombia

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This study compares the species composition and structural diversity of 30-year-old alder plantations with adjacent, naturally regenerated forests of the same age. The study seeks to determine if alder plantations are an appropriate catalyst for forest regeneration for conserving biological diversity and to determine if the differences between the two forest types are maintained over time.

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Payments for Environmental Services in Latin America as a Tool for Restoration and Rural Development

Background

Open access copy available

Reasons for reforestation success and failure with three mangrove species in Colombia

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This study examines the mortality and growth rates of the propagules, seedlings and saplings of three native mangrove species (A. germinans, L. racemosa, and R. mangle) in order to determine the ecological factors that influence tree growth and survival in deforested mangroves with restored hydrologic conditions on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

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Direct Seeding of Late-Successional Trees to Restore Tropical Montane Forest

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This study measures seed germination, seedling establishment, survival, growth and foliar nutrient content of five late-successional tree species which were directly seeded into three different habitats representing different stages of succession in tropical montane Costa Rica.The study also compares the costs of direct seeding with locally collected seeds with planting nursery-raised seedlings.

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The Effect of a Teak (Tectona grandis) Plantation on the Establishment of Native Species in an Abandoned Pasture in Costa Rica

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This study compares native tree species recruitment in the understory of a 10-year-old teak plantation in premontane wet forest in Costa Rica to the native tree species recruitment on nearby abandoned agricultural land.

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Attempting Restoration of Wet Tropical Forests in Costa Rica

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This article describes a reforestation effort of the Tropical Forestry Initiative using mixed stands of native species to recover abandoned pastureland in the tropical wet forest of Costa Rica.

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Native Trees and Shrubs for the Productive Rehabilitation of Tropical Cattleranching Lands

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The authors of this study examined strategies to improve cattle ranching in Colombia and Mexico through the use of intensive silvopastoral systems. Silvopastoral systems transform extensive cattle ranching with intensively managed systems with high densities of trees and shrubs to improve yields and environmental impacts.

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Early Growth and Survival of 49 Tropical Tree Species across Sites Differing in Soil Fertility and Rainfall in Panama

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This research investigates the importance of soil quality upon species survival across a gradient of differing levels of rainfall and dry season length on disturbed land in Panama.

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The Ecology and Ecosystem Services of Native Trees: Implications for Reforestation and Land Restoration in Mesoamerica

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This article summarizes papers presented at a conference on the state of tropical reforestation and restoration in Central America.

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Planting Seedlings in Tree Islands Versus Plantations as a Large-Scale Tropical Forest Restoration Strategy

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This research compares the growth and mortality of 4 tree species (2 native to Costa Rica and 2 native to northwestern South America) in the reforestation of abandoned agricultural land in Costa Rica.

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Tree plantations on farms: Evaluating growth and potential for success

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Interest in native species is growing across the tropics as reforestation of degraded lands becomes more widespread. Evaluation of successful species is an important component of reforestation planning.

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A Case Study Assessment of Agroforestry: The Panama Canal Watershed

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This article provides a qualitative assessment of three agroforestry sites in the Panama Canal watershed based on management objectives, project life span, incentives, technology, economic feasibility, community involvement, and extension. It seeks to guide sustainable forest management options for the Panamanian government.

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Barriers to Lowland Tropical Forest Restoration in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

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This article examines the major barriers to forest restoration in the abandoned pastureland surrounding three forest fragments  in the Rio Rancheria watershed of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. These barriers include: seed source, seed predation, competition from grasses, microclimate, soil quality, and fire.

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Environmental Services of Native Tree Plantations and Agroforestry Systems in Central America

Background

Plantations and agroforestry systems supply wood and environmental services such as carbon sequestration and recovery of biodiversity. At the time of writing (2004), Central American countries were developing systems of payments for environmental services to encourage the development of these systems.

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Growth of Euterpe edulis under forest and agroforestry in southern Brazil

Background

The shade-tolerant palm Euterpe edulis is prevalent in native forests and in reforestation of banana plantations in Brazil. However, there are no data comparing its plantation growth performance to its native forest growth. This study evaluates growth and mortality of E. edulis planted in secondary dense forest and in banana plantations, as well as their relationships with site variables.

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Influence of Distance to Forest Edges on Natural Regeneration of Abandoned Pastures: A Case Study in the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest of Southern Ecuador

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This study evaluates the role that distance from forest edges plays in the restoration of abandoned pasture.

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